With Grace funeral plans review
- 6 plans to choose from
- Prices range from £1,340 to £3,475
- Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
- Instalments with full cover after 24 months*
With Grace, formerly 'Plan with Grace' is a London based company that provides funeral planning services throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland through its nationwide network of funeral directors.
In this review: To help you compare With Grace funeral plans, we look at the options available and services included in each of the plans, the benefits, need to knows and how your money is held.
Once you have read the With Grace review, you can see how they compare with other FCA regulated plan providers or read the rest of our prepaid funeral plan reviews.
Who is With Grace?
With Grace, formerly known as Plan with Grace is a specialist funeral plan provider that works with independent funeral directors throughout the UK. Launched in 2015, the company was created by the partnership of two leading independent funeral directors.
In addition to offering prepaid funeral plans, they also provide funeral services for someone who has just died; funeral stationery and memorials as well as Wills, Lasting Power of Attorney and Probate services through their partners Honey Legal.
What prepaid funeral plans do With Grace offer?
With Grace offer 6 funeral plans that range in price from £1,340 to £3,475:
- Direct Cremation plan - basic
- Directcremation plan - inclusive
- Rose cremation plans
- Bluebell funeral plan
- Violet funeral plan
The first two plans are for direct cremation which is cremation without a service. The remaining plans are more traditional in that they offer some form of funeral service.
Here’s how With Grace direct cremation and traditional plans work:
With Grace direct cremation plans – with no funeral service
Direct cremation – basic plan; this plan includes the services you need for a simple unattended cremation with nothing more to pay.
It includes the funeral directors help and guidance with the documentation, collection of the deceased within mainland UK 24 hours a day, a suitable coffin, cremation fees, doctor’s fees if required and the ashes scattered on the garden of remembrance.
Direct cremation – inclusive plan - this plan includes the services you need for a simple unattended cremation including the return of the ashes to family.
It includes the funeral directors help and guidance with the documentation, collection of the deceased within mainland UK 24 hours a day, a suitable coffin, cremation fees and doctor’s fees if required.
The ashes are then either scattered on the garden of remembrance or returned to the family.
With Grace traditional plans – with a funeral service
Rose Plan – a simple cremation that allows a small gathering to attend an early committal.
It includes the funeral directors help and guidance with the documentation, collection of the deceased from hospital within working hours, a simple coffin, cremation fees and doctor’s fees if required.
The plan allows includes a committal which must be held before 9.30am Monday to Friday and the number of attendees may be restricted.
Bluebell Plan – a simple cremation with a service for family and friends to attend.
It includes the funeral directors help and guidance with the documentation, collection of the deceased from hospital within working hours, a simple coffin, cremation fees and doctor’s fees if required.
Violet Plan – a comprehensive cremation plan that includes your choice of the funeral procession route.
It includes the funeral directors help and guidance with the documentation, collection of the deceased, a standard coffin, a hearse, cremation fees, doctor’s fees, a hearse and bearers.
With this plan collection of the deceased is 24 hours a day.
Jasmine Plan – a traditional cremation plan that includes a procession from home.
It includes the funeral directors help and guidance with the documentation, collection of the deceased, a standard coffin, a hearse, cremation fees, officiant’s fees, doctor’s fees, a hearse and bearers.
Collection is 24 hours a day from anywhere in mainland UK but there is no limousine.
With Grace funeral plan need to knows
In addition to looking at the advantages of a prepaid funeral, it’s worth reviewing the possible drawbacks too. Here we list the benefits of a With Grace funeral plan and important information on the way plans work, to help you consider if it’s the best funeral plan for you.
Benefits
- Flexibility with 6 plans to choose from
- Some plans include collection 24 hours a day from anywhere in the UK
- Uses crematoriums throughout the UK**
- Guarantees the cost of the funeral director’s services as detailed in the plan
- Doctor’s fees and cremation fees are guaranteed on all plans
- Authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority
- You can spread the cost over 12 or 24 months without incurring additional fees
- *You are covered for your funeral services after 24 months on instalment plans, as long as your payments are up to date
Important to know
- With some plans you will need to pay extra for collection out of hours and from anywhere other than a hospital
- If you pay over 12 or 24 months but die before your premiums have been paid, you will not be covered for the services included in your plan. Instead, the person arranging the funeral can either pay the balance for the funeral services to go ahead, or cancel the plan
- Fixed plans are for cremation only
- You incur addition fees with all instalments longer than 24 months
- Doesn’t include additional funeral costs such as flowers, a memorial, orders of service or the wake
- You may have to pay for delivery of the ashes on some of the cremation plans
**some plans have a limited choice of crematoriums
With Grace reviews by their customers
With Grace are currently rated 4.8 on review website Trustpilot.
With Grace reviews by the industry
With Grace funeral plans have been reviewed by independent researcher of financial products Defaqto and research and ratings company Fairer Finance.
What happens to my money?
With Grace funeral plans are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This means they have to demonstrate they comply with the FCA’s strict rules and principles and should anything go wrong, you have the protection of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme to call upon.
When you buy a With Grace funeral plan, your money is held in an independently managed trust fund until it is required to pay for your funeral services.
How can I pay for a With Grace funeral plan?
You can pay for an With Grace funeral plan either in one go or by monthly instalments. Here’s how each payment option works:
Single Payment
This is the cheapest way to buy a With Grace funeral plan as you don’t incur any additional fees. Alternatively, you can spread your cost over 12 or 24 months and the price will be the same.
Monthly Instalments
Monthly instalments are available between 2 and 5 years. You will incur additional fees and you must complete your payments by your 80th birthday.
As long as your payments are up to date, you are covered for your chosen funeral services after the first 24 months. If you were to die after this period but before you have completed your instalments, the services as detailed in the plan would be provided with nothing more to pay.
Am I eligible for a With Grace funeral plan?
There are no age limits when paying in one go however monthly payments must be completed by your 80th birthday, which may limit some of the instalment terms available to you.
Can I cancel my plan?
If you cancel your plan within the first 30 days, you will receive a full refund of any money paid. After this period, a £250 cancelation fee will apply.
Who will my funeral director be?
With Grace work with funeral directors throughout the UK. You can nominate a funeral director however they cannot guarantee your chosen company will agree to deliver the services included in the plan. In this instance they would suggest other options local to you, based on their network of funeral directors.
What happens to my funeral plan if I move home?
If you move, the plan will move with you but you may incur administration fees for changing the plan details.
What should I do now?
My review of With Grace is designed to help you compare plans and find the best option for you. I would always recommend that you review all of your options to ensure you’re getting the best deal that suits your budget and needs.
Now you have read the With Grace funeral plan review, you may want to:
- Compare funeral plans with other FCA regulated companies
- Read how other companies compare with our funeral plan reviews
- Find out more about simple funeral plan with our guide to direct cremation
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